There are the Baby Boomers, then Generation X, Generation Y, Millennials and now a new emerging generation of 12 to 21 year-olds dubbed “Generation Z.” Cultural signals and surveys have shown that this new population has different views about gender identification and sexual orientation, compared to their older counterparts, creating a more accepting platform for future generations to come.

Members of Generation Z are a reaction of the tidal wave of changing attitudes within the LGBT movement, which ultimately led to the legalization of gay marriage in the United States and now a contested battle for transgender recognition and rights. Their understanding of the complex discovery of one’s identity is proven by 81 percent of Generation Z respondents reporting that they strongly agreed that gender does not define a person as much as it used to, according to a study by J. Walter Thompson Innovation Group in 2016.

The same study reports that only 48 percent of respondents from Generation Z identify as exclusively heterosexual, compared to 65 percent of their Millennial (ages 21-31) counterparts. A different study by FTI Consulting supports such conclusions, reporting that voting-age members of Generation Z are much further left when it comes to equal rights, with 75 percent in favor of gay marriage and 83 percent advocating for the equal rights of transgender people.

Furthermore, Generation Z has for the most part rejected gender binarism–-the separation of distinct and opposite classification of sex and gender.

This view is being bolstered by the new and emerging population of young and progressive thinkers on all fronts, from fashion to entertainment. For example, Miley Cyrus reported herself to be “gender fluid” in Time magazine in 2015 and Jaden Smith was also recently signed as Louis Vuitton’s new poster model for womenswear to promote the company’s new collections, despite being a male. Even CoverGirl makeup now has a male spokesperson, 17-year-old James Charles, showing that the art of makeup and look experimentation is not exclusive to girls, defying a centuries-old stereotype. These intriguing changes in popular culture prove the population’s growing acceptance for gender fluidity and varying sexual orientations, which aids in many young people’s self-discovery process.

Rejecting gender identity and accepting new queer identities is a reaction of an unprecedented technological world with immediate access to information and alternative communities. Creating a new atmosphere for open-mindedness and progressive actions provides this new generation with an understanding that identity is open to interpretation. Gender fluidity has yet to become the norm, but it is safe to say that Generation Z has created a much more welcoming environment for gender fluidity and sexual orientations than that of their older counterparts.

This younger generation is becoming more and more confident in their identity, which could translate to change for future generations. Generation Z will become the parents, leaders, and teachers of generations to come.